Column XLIX

The Great Isaiah Scroll 59:17 to 61:4

This is the 3rd and last page on the 15th strip of leather
that makes
up the scroll. All the pages on this page are in very good
condition. Like
the other 2 this one is also wider than most pages being almost
20% wider
than the average page. The page is bright and the script is very
clear.
The page has no blemishes on it. The seam at the left has had
most of the
stitching dissolved and no repair work has been done to rebind
the seam
as has been the case in other earlier seams. The original
stitching remains
only in the bottom 1/5 of the page. Fragments of the original
stitching
remain in the top two needle holes. The seam edges are in good
condition
and none of the leather has chipped away at the seams. There is
just a
small piece of leather in the bottom margin that has chipped
away.

Paragraphs and Spatiums:

The only paragraph marked on this page begins in line 6. It is
the beginning
of chapter 60. This section is also marked with the section mark
in the
margin which indicates a new section of content. Below in line 26
chapter
61 is marked only by a spatium indicating that the scribes
considered no
break in thought between these chapters. The same is true for
chapter 62
on the next page. There are spatiums also in lines 3, 13, and 25
but nothing
to note any important spacing.

Editorial marks:

There is one editorial mark after the 5th line in the right
margin.
This is the mark that I describe as a "derby hat." It always is
placed
in the right margin of the section to be marked. There are 6
occurrences
of this mark in the scroll. This mark has been primarily used to
mark distinctive
divisions in the content of the book. The beginning of Chapter 60
is marked
by the symbol on this page and indeed there is a distinct change
in thought
content in Isaiah at this place. From this point on, Isaiah
speaks of the
Messiah and the restoration of Zion in clear ways that DO NOT
include appeals
to the nation to repent so as not to lose their heritage which
has characterized
most of the book preceding this section. Chapter 40 is the
sharpest change
in content in Isaiah and the "derby hat" marks that section. It
first appears
on page 28, and then on page 32: line 28 and page 35: line 23 and
page
38: line 6 and on page 43: line 21, and on here on page 49: line
5. See
more complete comments on page 28 which is the first page on
which the
mark appears where it marks the end of the prophetic material
about the
invasions of the Assyrians and the beginning of the historical
description
of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem. See page 28 for links to pages with the
"derby" mark. See the introductory page for a discussion of
other common editorial marks in the scroll.

There is an oblique stroke at the right of the first
word in line
14. Two words that are in the M text at this point are missing
from Q.
The editor has marked the omission with this stroke. This is an
indication
that the editor knew the text was faulty here and did not conform
to the
text as he knew it.

Editorial additions to the text:

In line 26 the original scribe omitted a word from the
text. The
word "shelachaniy" (he has sent me) is written above the place it
was omitted.
It is probably the most crudely inscribed correction in the
entire scroll.
The word is split by the extension of the lamed in the word in
the line
below it. If the scribe had begun the word after the lamed it
would have
been less confusing. Other editorial additions include a waw
added to the
3rd word in line 3; a cj waw added to the 9th word in line 15; a
waw as
a vowel added to the 7th word in line 18; and an article "he"
added to
the 10th word in line 20.

Q Scribal Spelling:

Consistent matching 2fs and 2ms suffixes with the same
genders
that appear in M marks this page. Also the rules that the Q
scribe follows
is consistently followed in these suffixes on this page. 2ms suf
"ka" is
spelled "kah" to distinguish from 2fs suf which is "k" when
preceded by
a vowel sound and "kiy" when preceded by a consonant.. There was
much confusion
in these suffixes two pages back on page 47 which was marked by
inconsistency
with matching genders and in applying the rules properly. See
illustration
of 2ms in line 5: 3rd word and 2fs in line 7: 5th, and 8th words,
2fs spelled
as "kiy" is seen in Line 15: 7th word although not completely
conforming
with the usual rule.
The addition of yod to 2fs pf verb ending when the tau is not
preceded
by a vowel is seen in line 19: 1st and 7th words.
"he" is added to many words not having final "he" in M on
this page
which is characteristic of the Q scribe and spelling "hem" and
"kem" as
"hemah" and "kemah" is continued

. Variations in Q from the Masoretic Text:

Line 4: 4th word: Q = waw cj not in M.
Line 6: 6th word: Q = omit waw cj which appears in M.
Line 7: 10th word: Q = "le-nagad" inf (to the
announcement)
and M = "le-nagah" (to the brightness). LXX omits a word in this
phrase
and the Targum has "to receive" Targum translators give "toward"
The letter
daleth instead of "he" in the Q text is unmistakable. The word
has been
emphatically written over with the two characteristic tittles
that the
Q scribe ordinarily puts atop the daleth clearly indicated.
Line 8: 2nd, 3rd and 4th from last words: Q =
"ve-nahar ve-rachav
le-vave:k" (and your heart shall flow and be widened) and M =
"ve-naharte
u-phaqad ve-rachav le-vave:k" (and you (fem) shall flow on and
your heart
shall fear and be widened.)
Line 9: 3rd from last word: Q = spelling of proper
name with
final waw and M = final "he" last word: Q = addition of
waw to proper
name "sheb'a"
Line 10: last word: Q = waw cj not in M.
Line 11: 1st and 2nd words: Q = "le-ratson 'al"
adverbially
and M = " 'al ratson" adverbially (both mean willingly.) 10th
word:
Q = a double pe in this word not in M.
Line 12: 7th word: Q = "beney" (my son[s]) and M =
"benayik"
(your sons).
Line 14: 1st words: Q omits 3 words found in M. They
are "kiy
be-qitspiy hikiytiyk" (because in my anger I struck you.) There
is a horizontal
line in the margin that marks this omission.
Line 15: last 2 words: Q = "nothen lak" (is given to
you) not
in M
Line 16: 1st word: Q = waw cj not in M. 4th word
Q spelling:
medial "he" added.
Line 17: 3rd word: Q = '"kol" not in
M. This is a mistake which
includes the next 2 words which were carelessly copied from the
text about
7 words further along. The word "mena'atsayik" was written down
and the
mistake discovered and the original scribe uncharacteristically
scratched
out the wrong word and left the scratched out text and then wrote
the right
word. He did not correct the addition of "kol" which should have
been obvious
to him.
Line 21: last word: Q = 2ms verb form instead of 2fs
with which
the scribe has been consistent to this point. The context calls
for 2fs.
Line 22: 1st word: Q = article "he" not in M. Last
word:
Q = "be-laylah" (by night) not in M.
Line 24: 5th word: Q = " 'or" (light) spelled with
ayin instead
of aleph.
Line 25: 1st two words: Q = "mata 'ey YHWH" (the
plantings of
YHWH) and M = "mata 'ay" (my planting). YHWH is not in M. 3rd
and 4th
words: Q = "ma 'asey yadayv" (the works of his hands) and M =
"ma 'asah
yadiy" (the work of my hand).
Line 26: 5th word from last: Q = above the line a
scribe has crudely written in a word that was originally left
out. "shelachaniy" (he sent me)
Line 27: 8th word: Q = a waw cj found in M is not in
Q.
Line 28: last word: Q = "ve-qar 'a-u" cj + v pf 3pl
(and they
shall call) and M = "ve-qora' " cj + masc part. (and called)